The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is an incredible place to live, work, play, and explore. Our staff, dispersed across the region, know this firsthand and are excited to share some of their favorite things in this new blog series, GYC Staff Picks. Each month, we’ll be sharing Greater Yellowstone favorites from all of our staff—favorite trails, books, gear, artists, places, and much more—that help GYC staff members make the most of this remarkable place. This month, we’ll hear about a new read, a trusty piece of gear, a backcountry adventure, a local wildlife artist, and the opportunity to explore a buffalo jump!

Book: Indians in Yellowstone National Park by Joel Janetski

Joel Janetski’s book, Indians in Yellowstone National Park, is a fascinating exploration of Yellowstone National Park, the surrounding areas, and the people who lived there long before the first Europeans entered the region. Janetski uses his archeological expertise and historical sources to provide a rich and often overlooked history of the many Tribes who lived in and around Yellowstone prior to colonization.

I highly recommend this book, as it offers a glimpse into a part of Yellowstone’s history that is rarely seen and tells a part of Yellowstone’s story that is seldom told.

—Allison Michalski, Senior Idaho Conservation Associate | Driggs, Idaho

Gear: A Good Pair of Binoculars

I don’t go anywhere in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem without a good pair of binoculars. Personally, I love my Vortex Diamondbacks, but any pair will do. There are plenty of good thrift stores and antique shops around where you can usually find an affordable, well-loved pair if you don’t want to spend the money on something new. They are completely worth the extra weight when out exploring.

—Blakeley Adkins, Volgenau Foundation Wildlife Conservation Associate | Livingston, MT

Trail: Crow Creek Trail in Wyoming

Just accessing the Crow Creek Lakes Trailhead is an adventure. Located forty miles down the rutted, washboard Greys River Road, this trail provides access to the Crow Creek Lakes.

These alpine beauties are nestled below Mount Fitzpatrick along the eastern flank of the Salt River Range. Wildflowers abound in the alpine meadows during the summer months, while elk, mule deer, and moose utilize the exceptional habitat for their summer range.

As the highest peak in the Salt River Range, Mount Fitzpatrick offers exemplary views of the Wind River Range, Gros Ventre Mountains, Wyoming Range, Snake River Range, and Tetons. It is a special location within the southern Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

—Teddy Collins, Western Wyoming Conservation Associate | Jackson, WY

Artist: Thomas David Ritter

Montana has no shortage of fishy artists. Cutthroat trout, whitefish, and grayling are all iconic residents of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and you’ll find their likeness portrayed everywhere from fine art galleries to Bozeman’s alleyway murals.

For me, nobody captures the character of our native salmonids quite like artist Thomas Ritter. His colorful prints merge the detailed accuracy of scientific illustration with a unique and artful aesthetic that reminds me of how I feel when I see these fish glittering in a wild stream.

Check him out at rittercraft.com.

—Ryan Cruz, Montana Conservation Associate | Bozeman, MT

Place: Madison Buffalo Jump

The Madison Buffalo Jump in Three Forks, Montana, is a great place to learn and hike around. The Buffalo Jump is a limestone cliff that was used by Native Americans for 2,000 years to harvest buffalo for food and other uses. There are a few miles of trails wandering through open grasslands that lead up to the cliff. Be ready for the wind and I would recommend going before it gets too hot during the summer months. Watch out for snakes, too!

—Darcie Warden, Montana Conservation Coordinator | Bozeman, MT

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is the land of 49+ Indigenous Tribes who maintain current and ancestral connections to the lands, waters, wildlife, plants, and more.